Thanks to NIL (Name, Image, and Likeness), college basketball recruiting got exponentially more difficult and important than it already was. As the college basketball offseason chugs on, teams continue to rebuild their rosters for next season.
Let’s take a look at some of the biggest headlines from around the world of college basketball, including some big-time transfers via the portal and some huge recruiting battles.
College Basketball News Round-Up (5-21-25): Huge Offseason Transfers Running Headlines
Boogie Fland Stays In The SEC, Transfers to Florida
The biggest name on the list is combo guard Boogie Fland. After a solid freshman season at Arkansas, Fland stays in the SEC and joins the National Champion Florida Gators. Fland is the third four-star guard transferring to Gainesville, joining Xaivian Lee, formerly of Princeton, and AJ Brown, formerly of Ohio.
Arkansas transfer Boogie Fland has committed to the defending NCAA champion University of Florida and head coach Todd Golden, Fland told ESPN. Fland, the 6-foot-3, former McDonald’s All-American, finds a new home in Golden’s uptempo system. pic.twitter.com/k0pZv0bzCJ
— Shams Charania (@ShamsCharania) May 20, 2025
Fland, Lee, and Brown are huge additions as Walter Clayton Jr., Alijah Martin, and Will Richard are out of eligibility. Clayton Jr. will also be a guaranteed NBA draft pick in next month’s draft, whether in the first or second round. In addition, Denzel Aberdeen left the Gators and, similarly to Fland, stayed in the SEC and joined the Kentucky Wildcats.
Florida Gators head coach Todd Golden hit the transfer portal and struck gold, landing three solid, experienced guards to replace those they lost from last year’s team. The newcomers mixed in with the incoming freshman and current roster set up Florida nicely to have a chance at repeating.
In his lone season for the Razorbacks, Fland averaged 13.5 points, 3.2 rebounds, and 5.1 assists per game. He also shot 37.9% from the field and 34% from the charity stripe. Look for Fland with a better squad to have an even better season in his sophomore year.
Braydon Hawthorne Commits To Basketball Blueblood
Braydon Hawthorne, a former West Virginia commit, chose a new home and committed to Kentucky.
NEWS: 4⭐️ Braydon Hawthorne, On3’s No. 35 overall recruit in the 2025 class, has committed to Kentucky, he announced.
The 6-8 Small Forward is a high-upside prospect with a 7-3 wingspan. Former West Virginia signee. https://t.co/ShfLkgUHgJ pic.twitter.com/2nyc3dMY0G
— Joe Tipton (@TiptonEdits) May 20, 2025
He will join Aberdeen in Lexington, Kentucky, and play for Mark Pope and the Kentucky Wildcats. The 6’8″ small forward possesses a 7’3″ wingspan and was named On3’s number 35 overall recruit in the 2025 class.
This is a huge get for Coach Pope and the Wildcats. The addition of Hawthorne gives the Wildcats a third top-35 recruit for this incoming freshman class. Joining Hawthorne are the 20th-ranked recruit in shooting guard Jasper Johnson and the 28th-ranked recruit, center Malachi Moreno.
In addition to a strong recruiting class, Coach Pope had great success in the transfer portal, landing some elite talent in Jaland Lowe, a sophomore guard from Pittsburgh, forward Mouhamed Dioubate from Alabama, and potential future top-five NBA pick Jayden Quaintance from Arizona State.
Also, some solid bench guys in Aberdeen, as mentioned earlier, and guard Kam Williams from Tulane. Remember, junior standout Otega Oweh could still drop out of the NBA Draft and return to Kentucky.
Niko Bundalo Commits To Up-And-Coming SEC Program
Former Washington Huskies commit Niko Bundalo decided on his new home and committed to the Ole Miss Rebels. This is a huge get for head coach Chris Beard as he continues to build and improve this Rebels squad even in a loaded and extremely competitive SEC conference that saw 14 of the 16 teams make March Madness.
RELATED: Ole Miss, Chris Beard Secure Commitment From 2025 4-Star Forward Niko Bundalo
Bundalo is a 6’10, 215-pound big man who is a former High School McDonald’s All-American and a top-40 ranked player in the country. The lefty big man is the 24th-ranked recruit in the Class of 2025. Bundalo chose Ole Miss over North Carolina, Ohio State, Michigan State, and UConn.
Ole Miss Rebels fans should be jumping for joy with the addition of Bundalo. As a 6’10 freshman, he should play a huge role for the Rebels next season. He was also the sixth-ranked incoming freshman in the state of California.
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